*APC National Body Hails Enugu Congresses, Praises Mbah
By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA) has announced a mandatory ₦150 million advertising permit for political parties and candidates participating in the 2026 and 2027 local, state, and federal elections,in a move which could see the body’s coffers bulge with cash.
General Manager (GM) of the agency, Mr. Francis Aninwike, disclosed this during a management meeting held at the agency’s headquarters in the New State Secretariat Complex, GRA, Enugu.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Outdoor Promotion and Visual Campaign Guidelines for 2026 and 2027 General Elections’, Aninwike said the directive was in line with ENSSAA’s statutory mandate to regulate outdoor advertising and ensure orderliness, environmental aesthetics, and lawful conduct of campaign activities across the state’s 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
He explained that the ₦150 million permit grants political parties and candidates the right to deploy campaign materials and engage in visual promotions, including rallies, banners, branded vehicles, T-shirts, caps, handbills, buntings, and street campaigns across both urban and rural areas.
“Every political party and candidate must obtain a campaign permit from ENSSAA before deploying any form of visual campaign or outdoor promotional materials. The statutory fee for the permit is ₦150 million, payable to the Enugu State Government account,” he said.
According to him, the permit is designed to prevent visual pollution, ensure a level playing field, maintain professional standards in outdoor advertising, and protect public infrastructure.
Aninwike warned that parties or candidates who fail to comply would have their campaign materials removed and could face legal sanctions.
He further clarified that only practitioners registered and licensed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) are authorized to erect and manage billboards or campaign structures within the state.
“No individual, political party, or support group is permitted to erect billboards or advertisement structures in any part of Enugu State without going through licensed ARCON practitioners as permitted by ENSSAA,” he stated.
The agency also cautioned against defacing opponents’ campaign materials, describing such actions as undemocratic and punishable under the law.
He urged political parties and supporters to conduct campaigns responsibly, noting that elections should not be treated as a “do-or-die affair,” but as a democratic process that allows citizens to fulfill their civic obligations.
The GM dismissed allegations of possible selective enforcement, insisting that the guidelines would apply uniformly to all candidates and parties, including incumbents, adding that Governor Peter Mbah has consistently complied with advertising regulations in all his campaign and official promotional activities.
The ENSSAA boss wished political parties well as they prepare for the upcoming elections and reiterated the agency’s commitment to maintaining order and professionalism in outdoor advertising across Enugu State.
APC National Body Hails Enugu Congresses, Praises Mbah
Meanwhile, also in Enugu, the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) National Appeal Panel for Enugu State’s ward and LG congresses has given the congresses conducted by the state chapter of the party a clean bill of health, hailing what it described as the prevalent peace, unity, and internal democracy in the party.
This was even as the panel commended Gov. Mbah for what it described as his peaceful disposition and ability to cement the various political tendencies into a united and strong APC household.
The commendations were made by the Chairman of APC Congress Appeal Committee for the state, Hon. Nkechi Chukwura and her members while addressing journalists at the party’s secretariat in Enugu.
“We have been around for the past few days. We have equally gone round. And we are glad that we have not seen any rancour, protests or petitions all through our stay here in Enugu State. This has shown that the Enugu State chapter of the APC is peaceful. Things have been going on well.
“We want to say a big thank you to the governor of Enugu State for a very peaceful, enabling environment for this congress to take place. We want to thank the Caretaker Committee of our party in Enugu State led by Dr. Ben Nwoye for a job well done. We equally commend the Congress Committee and the Screening Committee for making our job very easy. If they did not work well, it would not have been easy for us,” she stated.
Hon. Chukwura also lauded Gov. Mbah for the level of transformation witnessed by the committee in the course of its work in the state.
“I specially want to appreciate the governor of Enugu State for the wonderful work he has been doing in the state. When we moved around the state, we were amazed at what he was able to accomplish in less than three years.
“But equally important is the fact that the giant development strides in the state and the peace we witnessed are a reflection of the governor’s personality because there can be no transformation of this magnitude without peace and unity,” she concluded.
Other members of the Committee present at the press briefing were Hon. Felix Ebiliekwe, Hon. Agbamu Okieriete Gibson, Chief Vincent Omojiriemu, and Comrade Bulus Gaknung.
